Picosecond laser test unit for photosensor characterization at ambient and low temperatures
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arXiv
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866917357519110144 |
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| author | Stock, Matthias Raphael Steiger, Hans Th. J. Fahrendholz, Ulrike Schweizer, Luca Oberauer, Lothar |
| author_facet | Stock, Matthias Raphael Steiger, Hans Th. J. Fahrendholz, Ulrike Schweizer, Luca Oberauer, Lothar |
| contents | Accurate single photoelectron (SPE) characterization of photosensors is essential for controlling systematic uncertainties in low-light neutrino and dark matter detectors. We present a compact laboratory setup for the characterization of photosensors under controlled, low-light conditions. Specifically, we demonstrate its use with photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) operated at the SPE-level, using picosecond laser pulses and waveform digitization to determine key PMT properties. Measurements as a function of supply voltage and temperature ($-50^\circ$C to $+20^\circ$C) are performed on ET Enterprises 9821(Q)B tubes and a Hamamatsu R9980 assembly, which show exponential gain-voltage behavior and device-to-device variation. Cooling increases the gain by $\sim 0.1\,\%/^\circ$C, while the transit time spread (TTS) and peak-to-valley ratio (P/V) exhibit no clear temperature dependence. TTS decreases with voltage. Late pulses remain at the percent level and prepulses at the sub-percent level. Cable length affects both apparent gain and TTS. A model-independent, data-driven self-convolution method is introduced to quantify double photoelectron contributions from pulse charge spectra. The procedures provide a reproducible, practice-oriented reference for SPE-level PMT characterization and can be extended to other photosensor types. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_19667 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Picosecond laser test unit for photosensor characterization at ambient and low temperatures Stock, Matthias Raphael Steiger, Hans Th. J. Fahrendholz, Ulrike Schweizer, Luca Oberauer, Lothar Instrumentation and Detectors Accurate single photoelectron (SPE) characterization of photosensors is essential for controlling systematic uncertainties in low-light neutrino and dark matter detectors. We present a compact laboratory setup for the characterization of photosensors under controlled, low-light conditions. Specifically, we demonstrate its use with photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) operated at the SPE-level, using picosecond laser pulses and waveform digitization to determine key PMT properties. Measurements as a function of supply voltage and temperature ($-50^\circ$C to $+20^\circ$C) are performed on ET Enterprises 9821(Q)B tubes and a Hamamatsu R9980 assembly, which show exponential gain-voltage behavior and device-to-device variation. Cooling increases the gain by $\sim 0.1\,\%/^\circ$C, while the transit time spread (TTS) and peak-to-valley ratio (P/V) exhibit no clear temperature dependence. TTS decreases with voltage. Late pulses remain at the percent level and prepulses at the sub-percent level. Cable length affects both apparent gain and TTS. A model-independent, data-driven self-convolution method is introduced to quantify double photoelectron contributions from pulse charge spectra. The procedures provide a reproducible, practice-oriented reference for SPE-level PMT characterization and can be extended to other photosensor types. |
| title | Picosecond laser test unit for photosensor characterization at ambient and low temperatures |
| topic | Instrumentation and Detectors |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.19667 |